Akasian bolts in

Akasian continued his remarkable winning streak and in the process gave trainer Pat Hughes a third Lartigue Hurdle success at Listowel yesterday.

Successful with Rusty Coin in 1989 and Quinze two years ago, Hughes had slight worries about the ground for Akasian but the gelding proved them groundless by running out a comfortable winner from Right Job in the valuable four-year-old event.

"That's six wins out of his last seven races and he was third in a flat race at Galway on the other one," said Hughes who described Akasian as a spring and summer horse who will probably be given a break.

"I told Kieran (Kelly) I didn't mind how wide he raced or who went up his inside because the ground is rough and cut up there. I remember giving the same instructions when Quinze won here," added Hughes.

Balla Sola was a solid favourite for the day's feature but ran freely to the start and ruined his chance by doing the same in the race.

Michael Kinane brought his seasonal total to 78 and opened up a 15-winner gap on nearest rival Pat Smullen in the jockeys table with a double on Sugar Plum Fairy and the gambled on Message Recu.

The latter was bought from France and with his dam a half sister to Royal Gait, hurdling will be his game. However, a lot of shrewd money plunged his price down to 7 to 4 yesterday and Edward O'Grady could target the Cesarewitch for Message Recu now.

Kinane was only a length and a half away from a third winner when Kilkenny Castle couldn't peg back the favourite Morning Breeze in the opener. The winner, a second success for apprentice Patrick O'Connor, will run next in the Listed Soudavar race at Naas.

Concert promoter Jim Aiken is a part owner of Awa-O-Te-Koa, the Tom Taaffe-trained winner of the first division of the maiden hurdle. Translated from Maori, the winner's name means "River Of Joy" and he denied any joy to the luckless Gypsy Melody on the run in.

Dermot Weld's Mus-If is set to clash with Godolphin's Muhtathir in the Group Two Grosse Europcar Meile in Cologne on Saturday. Pat Shanahan will ride last year's National Stakes winner, with the defending Dubai champion, Willie Supple, required for Muhtathir. The pair take on six German-trained rivals, namely Catoki, El Divino, El Lute, Up And Away, Bernardon and Tannenstern in the mile feature.